How to Make a Lantern Using a DIY Flameless Candle From Dollar Store Materials

If there’s one thing that we love, it’s burning candles. There’s just something so soothing about coming home from a long day at work and breathing in a yummy aroma. Nevertheless, candles can be dangerous, especially if you’ve got little ones running around. That’s why we’re going to show you how to transform your existing candle into something beautiful AND safe.

Our tip today comes to us from YouTubers The Sorry Girls. This candle hack is actually part of a longer tutorial in which the dynamic duo shows us how to make our own lanterns, but we are choosing to focus on the basics first—crafting the flameless candle. Their process yields some beautiful results; guests would never guess that these guys aren’t real!

To make one of these on your own, first gather together these necessary materials. And be sure that you don’t overspend on this one. Our hosts were able to pick up everything at their local dollar store!

You will need:

  • 1 wax candle
  • 1 flameless tea light
  • Metal spoon
  • Precision knife
  • Pencil
  • Lighter
  • Glass ramekin
  • Medium-sized bowl
  1. Get started on this project by first readying your work space. We’ve got to warn you, this process is a bit messy, so be sure that you cover your work table with some plastic covering before you begin!
  2. Now that you’re all prepped, place your flameless tea light on the wick-end of the candle and trace its shape with your pencil. Remove the light, then, taking your precision knife, carefully cut around the pencil marks. For this step, be sure that you aren’t slicing and dicing too recklessly—your goal is to end up with a smooth circle.
  3. Grab your spoon and scoop out the excess wax from inside your candle’s new hole. Pile these wax shreds up into the ramekin.
  4. Fill your bowl with boiling-hot water and set the wax-filled ramekin inside, taking care that you do not lose any wax to the water in the process.
  5. While you are waiting for your wax to fully melt, dip your metal spoon into the hot water, then gently drag it over the areas of the candle that you cut in the earlier step. This should have a smoothing effect on the more jagged spaces.
  6. Add your rustic finishing touches by taking a spoonful of your melted wax and dripping it down the sides of the candle. Once dry, turn on the tea light and pop it into the center hole. Voila!

What a cool craft! It’s not often that we work with wax, so we’ve got to say that we are extra excited to try this one ourselves.

Once you have completed the candle, you should really look into trying the second step of this process: building a DIY lantern. The end result is so pretty, and the girls are most definitely right— the object certainly does bring a note of warmth and coziness to any room.

To learn how to make the lantern yourself, be sure to click on The Sorry Girls’ video below. Something tells us that we’ll be wanting to work with candles a lot more in the future!

What do you think of this DIY flameless candle hack? Have you ever made one of these yourself? What is your favorite crafting material to buy at your local dollar store? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!